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Clarity

Jim Crocker

Toronto

I own a business that markets great people into interesting roles. I've run public, private and NFP businesses in tech, healthcare, and finance. Been a founder, Director and coach. Work with students, Boards, CEO's and management teams. I think outside the box on careers, governance, strategy, leadership and motivation. Joined Clarity years ago and got too busy. Back now. How can I help?

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19 Reviews

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Marketing Start-ups Management Career Advising

Call me to talk about

the Role of the Scientific Founder

I ran a university spin-off for six years. We went from great science and no sales and to great science and great sales. Getting comfortable with selling and marketing, not just engineering was key. It was also important sorting the roles of all the science founders, especially when the company went public.

Starting a Business Podcast

I started my own podcast several months ago from scratch. I love it. It's great for my business and I learned a lot about equipment, interviewing, hosting, iTunes and building an audience. Lots of learning and happy to share.

How to Manage the Early Stages of a Career

I regularly mentor students and those about to enter the work force on career choices and how to handle early jobs in sectors like consulting, HR and technology. Where it's helpful, I'm happy to share my connections for more insight and networking.

Doing the Side-Hustle

I love the side hustle. I find it's a great way to keep learning, stay enthused about my 9 to 5 and make a some money on the side. I've tried a bunch of ideas and researched a lot more. I've helped many other figures out how to become an entrepreneur on the side.

Attracting Top Talent Without Money

Most of the early-stage businesses I ran didn't have money to attract top talent we needed. So, l learned how to attract them anyways and discovered that other factors were way more important than money.

Answers 6
Reviews 19

Answers

Jim Crocker answered

As a startup, is it better to find a way to pay for services (i.e. design) or trade equity for it?

Find a way to pay for it. Giving up equity is an option of last resort and should only be reserved for very rare people and circumstances. When your business becomes valuable you will be very happy that you're not sharing it with your first web designer.

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Early-stage Startups

Start-ups

Equity Funding

Jim Crocker answered

Go all in or test market first?

In his book 'The Lean Start-up', Eric Reis talks about the concept of 'minimum viable product'. Launching with the minimum viable product, can be a good way to test the market for a product without investing lots of money. However - to your point - you need to be careful, especially in a service business. Even your basic offering still can't turn off customers. My suggestion is you find other ways to figure out if there's market for your service. For lots less than $100,000 you could even engage someone to do the market research for you.

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Early-stage Startups

Start-ups

Startups

Jim Crocker answered

When creating a marketplace, does it make more sense to focus on stimulating demand first or supply?

Obviously in a new market, you need to be ready when you get your first order. So supply is critical. However too many companies shy away from demand building because it's not what they know how to do. They're not marketers and selling scares them. So they gravitate to what they know - the product - which leads them naturally towards the supply side. That's a waste of time when there is no market.

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Start-ups

Marketplaces

Online Marketplace

Jim Crocker answered

How can a failed 25 year old EdTech entrepreneur find a job?

Simple answer but don't ignore posting a profile on LinkedIn. We do all of our recruiting for clients there and it's where we find all of our own talent. Your experience is valuable. Use strong keywords throughout. You never know what companies are looking for.

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EdTech

Start-ups

Failure Analysis

Jim Crocker answered

I am looking for 500 people to answer a survey about services for aspiring entrepreneurs. Where would be the best place to post my survey?

We have over 50,000 mostly business followers on Twitter. If you want to broadcast out a message or a survey let me know.

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Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial Skills

Entrepreneurship Education

Jim Crocker answered

Does mentioning “Cheap” in a service domain name leave a bad impression?

greatqualitycheap.com has a certain ring to it!

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Branding & Identity

Online Branding

Entrepreneurship

Reviews

I met Jim in 2006. When I got the chance to work with him, I immediately felt that his attitude towards strategy, candor and leadership was refreshing. I am pleased to say I have had the opportunity to leverage him as a great mentor as I grew (+grow) in my career.

Jim has helped me steer away from being a spectator in my career. The value of our collaborative, genuine and practical interactions has become ingrained in my regular interactions with others.

All professionals are frankly silly not to seek out mentoring relationships for their advice, experience and stories. Thanks Jim.

Andrew Ambrose Source: LinkedIn

Jim has a unique balance of characteristics including strategic thinker, visionary leader and forthright communicator who believed in always putting the business first.

As the senior lead in building a strategic sales plan for Heritage Educational Funds, Jim gave me full reign to think independently and apply my personal expertise in researching and designing a strategic sales plan. Jim knew exactly when to played a mentoring role during the duration of my project and provided sound coaching and guidance on the plan to ensure it align cross-functionally.

Jim is a well-balanced executive and I would look forward to working on another initiative with him.

private private Source: LinkedIn

It was a pleasure working with Jim at Heritage. His vision, passion and collaborative approach were well received by our team members at WebFeat. A strong, results oriented leader, Jim empowered our team with quick strategic insights related to his business. He is a great assest to any organization.

David Zbar Source: LinkedIn

Jim is a results-oriented leader, who has the uncanny ability to tap into people’s hidden talents. In my experience with him, he reconstructed the vision for the company, assembled a team of industry specialists to further develop key strategies, and readied the organization for huge growth and a very prosperous future. Jim has a track record of building strong business relationships based on open communications, trust and integrity, and I highly value the opportunity I had to work with him.

Tina Mota Source: LinkedIn

Jim has a leadership approach that inspires those who work for and with him to leverage their strengths. He encourages a trusting relationship and demands results, but provides support to enable you to deliver.

His no nonsense approach and honesty is a management methodology that reduces obstacles by focusing on the things that can be influenced rather than a focus on the things we are unable to control.

I would recommend Jim to any organization that requires positive re-alignment or has decided it's time to succeed.

Andrew Ambrose Source: LinkedIn

Jim is a great mentor and a great person to work for. He moulded me to think big, outside the box and to be a great leader. He is a person who has great vision and insight. His actions speak louder than words. He truly is the greatest person I have ever met. His strength is empowering others to shine and achieve higher limits. He is a great listener, cares for a persons well-being and has a big emotional bank account. I consider him an angel who entered my life and set a new meaning for the future. Anyone who has any contact with Jim, should consider themselves very lucky.

Kalpana Siva Source: LinkedIn

Jim is a visionary leader with a bias to action, delivering measurable results. He provided outstanding strategic and team leadership at Heritage Education Funds resulting in record sales achievement. Jim is strategically disciplined, focused on core priorities and practical in execution. Jim's team building style leverages his team's expertise thus creating synergistic corporate direction and business momentum.

Karen Sterling Source: LinkedIn

Jim was an enormous help providing our management team with guidance and insight as we sought to set new business direction. With the job almost complete we look back and see all the ways Jim directed and challenged our thinking - Thanks Jim!

Rod Bray Source: LinkedIn

“I am pleased to write this recommendation for Jim Crocker. During my 8+ years in recruiting, I've had the pleasure of working with a few exceptionally talented professionals like Jim. When a company decides to enlist the help of a “true leader” like Jim the company will surely flourish. Jim posses an uncanny ability to apply industry best practices to real situations. If you are able take just one aspect of his methodologies and apply it to your every day routine then it is considered a success. I worked closely with Jim during his tenure at PTC Accounting and Finance and found, his unique approaches undoubtedly tap into employee strengths (i.e., energy, confidence, creativity) and revitalize the organization through cultivating a new organizational culture ready to embrace change. When you work for an individual like Jim, you truly start believing in yourself and in your abilities – that’s what his leadership skills bring to a company. Boardroom Metrics is a great innovative tool that I will continue to endorse in my work. Thanks Jim and I wish you continued success in your future endeavors.”

Navi Dhanoa Source: LinkedIn

Enlightening and enlivening – Jim Crocker brings enormous energy to every project and team.
Thanks for building our new team here at PTC – and for mentoring and connecting us through forward thinking and goal setting - so that we can attain individual and group success. We have great momentum going with our positive team spirit. You are missed deeply, but your leadership legacy continues to move us onwards and upwards!

Karen McElroy Source: LinkedIn

I had the pleasure of working with Jim for the better part of the past year. Jim's leadership and out of the box thinking was an invaluable asset to my growth. Jim's knowledge of systems and tools to streamline processes helped me to be more efficient and productive in my role.

Jim was always dedicated and passionate about his ability to add value and to affect change for the betterment of the parties involved even when the changes suggested was met with resistance, Jim’s confidence and his integrity wouldn’t allow him to compromise his beliefs. I know that anyone lucky enough to work with Jim would quickly learn that he’s a consummate professional and definitely someone who prides himself on being able to help companies and individuals reach their full potential. I wish Jim all the best in his future endeavours and would welcome the chance to work with him in the future.

Brian Arrindell Source: LinkedIn

Member since March 2015